“What makes something racist, sexist, transphobic, homophobic, etc. is when ‘power’ and the ability to effectuate said power is added,” he explained to Campus Reform. “We must stop using this textbook definition of ‘racism’ because it doesn’t take into account real world experiences of those who are on the receiving end of racism: people of color.”

Mitchum went on to say he was not surprised at the backlash that his tweets provoked.

“Most of the commentators didn’t push back on the idea of men being sexist and cis people being transphobic as untrue; only that all white people are not racist. And that’s likely because many of them saw themselves in my tweet and went on the defense immediately,”